The Seventh Grade Wars

CHAPTER 37: Cricket

I called up Alexa on Saturday. She picked up quickly.

"Hey," she said. 

"Are you eating something?" I asked, because her words seemed garbled.

"Pretzels," she said. "What do you need? I'm watching my show. It's on today. Is it important?"

"Well," I told her, "I'm going to steal the prank from Hayley George. You tell me."

"Huh? When?"

"Today," I replied. 

"Um, Cricket? How do you know she even has a prank?"

"Chelsea told me," I said. "My old friend, remember? I think I told you."

"The girl Hayley stole from you?"

"Yep, that's her."

Alexa was quiet for a moment. "How're you going to do that?"

"My mom's friends with her mom," I said. "They both work at the public library. I'll just say I want to talk to Hayley, and go over. I'm sure I'll be able to find it."

"Um," said Alexa, suddenly sounding interested. "What exactly are you going to talk to Hayley about?"

I paused. "I guess I'll have to make up some phony story about how I'm just so sorry for making fun of her and how I actually really do want to be her friend."

Alexa was chewing on something else. "Well, good luck with telling that sack of lies."

"I know," I said, "but it's the only way I'll get on her good side, you know."

"Then you're going to backstab her."

"Yep."

"Cool," she said. "Hey, have you told Pete about this yet?"

"No, nobody," I said. "I don't want him to think I'm a failure if I don't get the diagrams. And I don't want him to think I'm a failure. I can handle one simple task."

"Yeah, okay. But you're sure she has this prank, right?"

"Definitely," I replied.

So, that's how I ended up going to Hayley's house that afternoon. Both my parents were at work, so I walked there. Not that I minded.

My mother had talked to Hayley's mom, who didn't mind me coming over at all. When I rang the doorbell, she was the one to answer.

"Hello, Cricket!" she said.

"Fine, thank you, Mrs. George," I said.

She turned up to the staircase and yelled, "Hayley! Your guest is here!" she yelled.

Hayley came down a second later. "Hi," she said quietly.

"Hey," I said. Long gone were Hayley's days of makeup, hair curlers, and cool clothes. She had spiraled back down to Nerdsville. Shame, because I thought her look had actually done her some good.

"Um, you go upstairs first," said Hayley. "I just want to talk to my mom for a second."

I nodded and headed upstairs. There were still a couple dusty boxes in the hallway, probably from their move here.

Now was my chance. While Hayley was downstairs, I could dig around for the prank ideas. I cautiously opened the first door to my right, and knew instantly it was Hayley's. The walls were painted purple, as well as everything else in the room. It all looked unnaturally tidy, like something you'd see in a furniture magazine.

Then, I saw it. Piled neatly on Hayley's desk were large pieces of thick paper, with drawings on them in black ink.

WATER BUCKET TRAP: PROJECT DIAGRAMS was written on the front. That's when I knew. I grabbed everything up and stuffed them in my backpack, which I'd brought for exactly that purpose. 

I heard somebody coming back upstairs, probably Hayley. I pulled out the little note I'd prepared before I'd come here, and tossed it onto the desk where the papers used to be. I'd just had time to step into the middle of the room, onto her fluffy purple shag carpet, before Hayley came in.

"So," said Hayley nervously. "My mom said you wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Yes," I said, and took a deep breath. Here we go, I thought. Just suck it up and do it. "I'm sorry," I said. "About everything. About how I made fun of you. I didn't mean to, honestly. I just got caught up with Peyton and Alexa, and I guess I felt pressured to go along with it."

Hayley's eyebrows furrowed. She was taking in everything. She wasn't stupid, I suppose, but I had to keep her with her back turned to her desk.

"It's okay, I guess," she said at last.

I continued, spewing out all this stuff about how I would love to be her friend (a lie), and how Chelsea told me how great she is (maybe not actually a lie), and by the end of it, Hayley seemed pretty convinced. She even looked relieved. This made me feel a little bad about having to do this to her, but I pushed it out of my head.

Hayley said, "I'm awful sorry to do this to you, but I have to leave. I've got someplace...important to be."

"Where to, that's so important."

"Uh, the movies," I said.

"I hear you're going out with Jordan. Is that who you're going with?"

"Yes," she said. "Why?"

Huh. So it was true. I was still confused. What did anyone see in her, the friend-stealing little nerd? 

"Oh, no reason," I said, feeling disgusted at how sweet my voice sounded. "I'll go now. It's good to see you, Hayley. I'm glass I've got that off my chest."

Okay, time to leave now, I told myself. Before it's too late.

And before Hayley could open her mouth to reply, I swept past her and went downstairs.

"Are you leaving already, honey?" asked Hayley's mom, who was dusting the wall cabinets.

"Yes," I said. "I just needed to confirm something with Hayley, that's all."

I thanked her and went out the door, heading down the road back to my house. I knew that wasn't the smoothest exit, and Hayley would probably get suspicious, but I didn't even care. She would only find out what happened after I was long gone.